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VIDEO: New York State of Mind
Red Bull players knew many didn't believe they could challenge the Crew for Major League Soccer's top prize, but they put up a scrappy challenge nonetheless and had their chances. That only made the loss tougher to take.
Nov 24, 2008 4:56:00 AM
CARSON, California --As the Red Bulls trudged off the playing field of Major League Soccer's Championship final, not even stopping to
collect their second-place medals, their thoughts weren't on how strongly the team had finished the season, making an unexpected run to the title match.
"Right now, I'm sad," said speedy midfielder Dane Richards. "I wish I was holding the Cup."
Regrets are what's left for any losing team in this type of scenario.
"We played some good soccer in the first half," noted forward John Wolyniec. "Sometimes the ball doesn't go in the net. And obviously if we would have been the team to score first it would have been quite different."
Chances were on the boot of Wolyniec and Juan Pablo Angel in the early going, but it was defender Kevin Goldthwaite who came the closest with a header that just went wide.
"We took the game to them," said coach Juan Carlos Osorio. "That's what I felt proud for my guys today - that we competed against supposed-to-be the best or the most consistent team in this league. And we matched them in the first half very well. We had a lot of the ball, better possession. We played better football. I think we were the better team."
Yet Columbus scored the opening goal on a nifty counterattack that displayed how MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto is so in sync with his teammates now that he only needs a small window of opportunity to do damage.
New York didn't buckle, though, as Wolyniec grabbed an equalizer early in the second half.
However, Chad Marshall was able to re-establish the Crew's goal advantage via header less than two minutes later.
“Right as we equalized, if we would have gone 10 to 15 minutes without conceding a goal I think the result would have been different," said Richards. "That goal just killed the momentum. But those things happen in soccer. If we would have defended that set play better, maybe we are holding the trophy right now.”
The fantasy of "maybe" and "perhaps" will haunt the New York players for some time.
"It's disappointing, it's frustrating," said young goalkeeper Danny Cepero.
With the loss of the coveted trophy so recent, it's likely impossible for Cepero to console himself with the idea that what he and his team already accomplished is an amazing feat.
For a rookie goalkeeper who didn't play most of the season to only concede a single playoff goal until the final game is little short of incredible.
It's likely, though, that with a first-ever conference championship in the trophy case, and new international competition to look forward to next season, the Bulls will eventually reflect and realize what a good year they had.
“Whenever you reach the furthest you can in the playoffs, it’s always good," acknowledged Richards. "Right now we are really upset, but tomorrow we are going to thank God we made it all the way to the finals. This just raised the bar for next year, and next year we are going to go all the way.”
Standing in the tunnel of the Home Depot Center, though, as the light at the end of it shone down on a celebrating Crew team, it wasn't easy for New York's players to think about what had actually gone well for them.
"It's tough to focus on the positives," Cepero stated. "Hopefully we can build on the positives, but right now, there have been better days, obviously."
--Andrea Canales, Goal.com
See video reaction from the Red Bull players below:
"Right now, I'm sad," said speedy midfielder Dane Richards. "I wish I was holding the Cup."
Regrets are what's left for any losing team in this type of scenario.
"We played some good soccer in the first half," noted forward John Wolyniec. "Sometimes the ball doesn't go in the net. And obviously if we would have been the team to score first it would have been quite different."
Chances were on the boot of Wolyniec and Juan Pablo Angel in the early going, but it was defender Kevin Goldthwaite who came the closest with a header that just went wide.
"We took the game to them," said coach Juan Carlos Osorio. "That's what I felt proud for my guys today - that we competed against supposed-to-be the best or the most consistent team in this league. And we matched them in the first half very well. We had a lot of the ball, better possession. We played better football. I think we were the better team."
Yet Columbus scored the opening goal on a nifty counterattack that displayed how MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto is so in sync with his teammates now that he only needs a small window of opportunity to do damage.
New York didn't buckle, though, as Wolyniec grabbed an equalizer early in the second half.
However, Chad Marshall was able to re-establish the Crew's goal advantage via header less than two minutes later.
“Right as we equalized, if we would have gone 10 to 15 minutes without conceding a goal I think the result would have been different," said Richards. "That goal just killed the momentum. But those things happen in soccer. If we would have defended that set play better, maybe we are holding the trophy right now.”
The fantasy of "maybe" and "perhaps" will haunt the New York players for some time.
"It's disappointing, it's frustrating," said young goalkeeper Danny Cepero.
With the loss of the coveted trophy so recent, it's likely impossible for Cepero to console himself with the idea that what he and his team already accomplished is an amazing feat.
For a rookie goalkeeper who didn't play most of the season to only concede a single playoff goal until the final game is little short of incredible.
It's likely, though, that with a first-ever conference championship in the trophy case, and new international competition to look forward to next season, the Bulls will eventually reflect and realize what a good year they had.
“Whenever you reach the furthest you can in the playoffs, it’s always good," acknowledged Richards. "Right now we are really upset, but tomorrow we are going to thank God we made it all the way to the finals. This just raised the bar for next year, and next year we are going to go all the way.”
Standing in the tunnel of the Home Depot Center, though, as the light at the end of it shone down on a celebrating Crew team, it wasn't easy for New York's players to think about what had actually gone well for them.
"It's tough to focus on the positives," Cepero stated. "Hopefully we can build on the positives, but right now, there have been better days, obviously."
--Andrea Canales, Goal.com
See video reaction from the Red Bull players below:
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